Display case



Oct. 15, 1929. s. R. SVENDSGAARD 1,732,173 u DISPLAY CASE FiledJan. 16, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNEssEs l? Z 15s Oct. 15, 1929. s. R. svENDsGAARD DISPLAY CASE Filed Jan. 16, '1924 2 sheetsheet 2 WITNESSES '6o 1N VEN TOR www 3, 79. Sycims'jam A TTORNE YS I Patented Oct. 15, 1929 NTED STATES SVERRE RACHSTANG SVENDSGAARD, OF TEKOA, WASHINGTON DISPLAY, CASE i Application filed January This invention relates to an improvement in display cases which is especialy adapted for use with lead pencils or similar articles although of course having a capacity for practically universal use.

The object of the invention is to provide a display case of this character wherein the pencils or other articles are attractively displayed and readily accessible for purposes of sale or other yauthorized purposes and yet reasonably safe against removal or theft by an unauthorized person.

A further object is to provide a display case having the foregoing enumerated advantages and capacities and which is at the same time of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation, ornamental in appearance and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in certain novel features of the construction, combination -and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing one embodiment o-f the invention; Y

Figure 2 is a view thereof in side elevation with one of the side plates of the casing removed;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing the rear wall of the casing removed for the sake of illustration;

y Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation of another form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the form illustrated in Figure 4, one of the side plates being removed for the sake of illustration; and

Figure 6 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Figures 4 and 5 but showing the rear wall of the casing removed.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration are shown several embodiments of the invention and more particularly to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the. numeral 10 designates a base. A supporting strip 11 is secured to the upper side of the base and 16, 1924. Serial 686,658.

0n this supporting strip 11 a pencil rack, designated generally at 12, is supported for swinging movement. Thisrack 12 may be conveniently constructed of sheet metal and preferably includes an imperforate bottom 13 having depending side flanges 14 and 5 depending end flanges 15. Side members 16 are provided and are secured, as at 17, tothe end anges 15 of the body. The side member 16 may have integrally formed therewith 60 or suitably connected thereto a rack plate 18 i which is horizontally disposed and which is provided with a plurality of apertures 19-ar ranged in rows and designed to receive lead pencils in the present instance. A second 6,5

, rack plate, designated at 20 is provided and is secured to the side members in between the bottom 14 and the top rack plate 18. The second rack plate 20 is provided with a/plurality of apertures 21 which are vertically alined '70 with the apertures 19 so that the rack plate 20 coacts withthe rack plate 18 in supporting the pencils. The rack thus constituted is pivotally mounted onthe-supporting strip 11 by means of'pivots 21 carried by the sup- V porting strip 11 and' journaled in the pivot openings provided therefor in the end ianges 15 of the bottom and the adjacent `portions yof the side members 16. The rack 12 being thus mounted is free to swing forwardly with respect to the casing, as indicated in Figure 2, .but the rearward swinging movement of the rack 12 is limited by means of blocks 23 fastened to the base 10 and engaging the underside of the -bottom 13 to support the rack 12 in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. The blocks 23, of which two are provided, are formedy with notches 24 to accommodate the flange 14 formed along the rear side edge of the bottom 13 of the rack. u Y A casing, designated generally at 25, is provided and includes a pair of sides 26 secured to the base and arranged on the opposite sides of the rack 12. These sides are formed'at their upper ends with clips 27 which serve to 9o secure a top 28 to the sides 26. Preferably the top 28 is of glass. The sides 26k have curved extensions 29 which extend rearwardly from their lower portions and against these curved extensions the rear wall or plate 30 of the casing is fitted and secured. The arrangement is such that when the rack 12 is positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 it is within the casing and the top 28 of the casing is disposed immediately above the upper ends of the pencils carried in the rack 12. The top being so positioned prevents removal of the pencils and when it is desired to remove the pencils or ll the rack with the same, the rack must be swung to the position shown in Figure 2 that is outwardly of the casing.

The rack 12 is urged to the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 by means of a retractile coil spring 31 having one end fastened to the base and its other end fastened to the flange 14 of the bottom 13 of the rack 12. More than one coil spring 31 may be provided if desired. Manually operable meansV is provided for swinging the rack 12 outwardly of the casing and preferably this means includes an operating lever 32 fulcrumed, as at 33, on a bracket 34 and operating through a slot 35 provided therefor inthe rear wall of the casing. The slot 35 is provided with an extension 36 whereby the lever 32 which is transversely resilient to some extent may be releasably held in position to maintain the rack 12 without the casing 25 that is in the position shown in Figure 2. The lever 32 has fixed thereto an arm 37 which is connected to the bottom 13 of the rack by a chain 28 and thus when the lever 32 is swung in al clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1,2 and 3, the rack 12 will also be swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot 22 and will'be moved outwardly from the casing torender the pencils accessible andv removable. When the display case is usedin a store Yit is intended that the open front of the case'be exposed to the customers andthe clerk or store-keeper operate the lever 22. In order to prevent unauthorized persons from reaching around and operating the lever 32 and taking the pencils fromv the rack without the'knowledge of the clerk orV store-keeper a signal is provided which announces each movement of the operating ylever to move the rack 12 about the casing. This signal may in`- 'clude a bell 40'mounted onl one of the blocks 23; clapper 41 is provided for the bell and isyfix'edly mounted on al shaft 42 rotatably j ouraled in bearings `provided therefor in a bracket 43. A retractile coil spring 44 tends to urge the clapper 41 to strike the bell. Preferably the clapper is actuated by the operating lever 42 and for this purpose the operat-- ing lever is provided with a rearwardly extending arm 45 which is engageable with a trip 46 rotatably mounted on the shaft 42. The`trip, 46 is constructed of a piece of wire having its intermediate portion coiled and mounted on the shaft 42 and having one end 447 extended beneath the clapper 41 and the other end 48 arranged to be engaged by the arm 45. A light spring 49 is fixed to the bracket 43 and engages the end 48 of the trip 46 to prevent excessive displacement of the end 48. With this arrangement, when the lever 32 is pressed downwardlyits arm 45 will engage the end 48 of the trip 46 and rotate the trip 46 around the shaft 42. This rotation of the trip 46 brings its end 47 up into engagement with the under side of the clapper 41 so as to lift the clapper 41 against the action of the coil spring 44. The arm 45 is curved and before the lever 32 has completed its downward movement it snaps past the end 48 of the trip 46 thereby releasing the trip and permitting the spring 44 to cause the clapper 41 to forcibly strike the bell 40 and sound the same.

A retractile coil spring 50 is provided and has one end connected to the lever 32 and it's' other end connected to the base 10 so that this spring effects the automatic return or upward swinging movement of the lever32'after` the same has been depressed unless thetlever has been engaged in the extension 36` of the slot 35. y

In order to prevent removal of the rack 12 from the housing constituted by the sides 26 and top'28 without manipulation of the lever 32 means is provided forlocking the rack 12 against movement until the lever 32 is actuated whereupon the means is released? by the action of the lever. This means includes a bracket 51" secured to the base and having an angular locking bar 52 pivoted thereon; One arm of the locking bar is notched, as at 53, and is engageable with the corner defined by the bottomr13` of the rack and one of the flanges 14. The other arm of the angular locking bar is connected to' one end of av retractile coil spring 54, the opposite end of the springp54 being connected to theiba'se 10 whereby the locking bar is urged into engagement with the rack. 1n order tofprovide for automatic release ofthe lhcking' bar by the lever 32 this lever 32' is provided zwith a. third arm 55 which is connectedy with' the rearwardly extending arm o-f the lockii'ig bar by means of a chain or other type of connect? ing element 56. With this arrangement when the lever 32 is depressed'pthe locking bar 52l will be swung in av counter-clbckwise direction, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3 and will be disengaged from the rack before the arm'37 and chain 38 exert a lifting eect on the rack 12. The notch 53 is of sufhcient depth to enable the walls thereof to swing clear of the rack 172 whenA the `lever is deeV pressed but the horizontal wall ofthe notch though slightly spaced above the bottom wall of the rack will be .engaged by this bottom wall if the rack is swung slightly. This engagement of the horizontal wall of the notch 53 with the bottom of the rack 12 prevents swinging of the rack to such an extentv as to permit pencils to be removed' therefrom v `ithout operatingv the lever 32.

In` the form of the invention shown in fore, and serve to suppoit the pencils.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 the display case includes Aabase 60. On each side of the base a generally at 68, is provided and includes sides 64, an upper rack plate and a lower rack plate 66. The vrack plates 65 and 66 are provided with vertically alined apertures, as be- The rack 63 is fixed to the base and the base constitutes the bottom of the rack. Of course if desired an additional bottom may be provided. A strip 67 extends between the sides 54 of the rack and has its ends 68 projecting beyond the sides to provide stops as will hereinafter appear.

A movable casing, designated generally aty 7 O is provided in conjunction with the rack 63 and includes a pair of side plates 71 pivotally mounted, as at 72, on the sides 64 of the rack 63. At the upper end ofthe side plates 61 clips 78 are provided and serve to fasten a top plate 74, preferably glass, to the sides 71. A rod 75 extendsbetween and is secured to the side plates 71 to brace the plates and also affords means for transmitting motion to the casing 70 as will presently appear.

f full lines in Figure 5, its top plate is disposed just above the pencils contained in the rack 63 and serves to prevent removal of the pencils.

A. retractile coil spring 76 is provided for each side plate 71 and is connected to the lower end of the side plate. rllhe opposite end of the coil spring is connected to the base 60. The tendency of the coil spring 76 is to urge the plate 71 to vertical position so that the top plate will prevent removal of the pencils. The movement of the plates 71 which the coilsprings 76 effect is limited by virtue of the rengagment of the plates 71 with the ends 68 of the strip 67.

Manually operable means is provided for swinging the casing 70 about its pivots 7 2 so as to swing the top 74 clear of the rack 63 and the pencils contained `therein and thereby permit removal of the pencils. This means includes a bell crank lever 77 fulcrumed, as at 78, on a bracket 79 upstanding from the base 60. The lever operates in a slot 8O provided in the rear wall 62 of the stationary housing. One arm of the bell crank lever 77 which arm is designated at 8l is connected by a chain or otherI connection 82 to the rod 75 which extends between and is secured to the plate 7l of the casing 7() and thus when the arm 81 is depressed the casing 7 0 will be swung backwardly or in av clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5 to move the top 74 of the casing clear of the rack and the pencils contained therein.

The other arm of the bell crank lever 77, which latter arm is designated at 83, is curved and is adapted to coact with the end 48 of a trip 46 to actuate the clapper 4l of a bell 40 to announce the operation of the lever and oasing. This bell, clapper, trip and associated structure is identical with that hereinabove described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and need not again be set out in detail.

In order to prevent the casing from being swung clear of the rack without manipulation of the lever 77, a lock bar 85is pivotally mounted on the bracket 79 and is urged into engagement with the 4under side of the rod 75 `by means of a coil spring 86. A connection 87 in the form of a couple of links is provided between the arm 8l of the lever 77 and the lock bar 85 and is designed to disengage the lock bar from the rod Aprior to the impartation of motion to the casing 70.

The lever 77 is returned to uppermost position by action of a coil spring 90 connected to the lever and to the strip 67. It is to be noted that the lower portions of the sides 7l of the casing 70 Vare offset'outwardly to facilitate connection of the spring 76 to these sides and to decrease the friction Vbetween the side 71 and the rack.

In both embodiments of the invention pencils or other articles are attractively displayed and are readily accessible for-purposes of sale or for other purposes. The racks may be readily filled with pencils and the desired number of pencils may be readily taken from the racks. In the normal position of the parts, the casing substantially housesthe pencils and the topl of the' casing prevents any 'unauthorized person from surreptitiously removing the pencils from the rack. At the same time by depressing the lever 32 or 77, as the case may be, the rack and casing are moved 'relatively to each other to dispose the casing with its rack clear of the pencils and enable access to be had tothe pencils; At the same time the signal is operated for each time the lever is depressed and thus it is not possible to remove pencils from the casing without announcing the same for the benefit of the store-keeper or clerk. In considering this feature it must be borne in mind that while the lever must be operated to trip the signal the lock prevents the casing and the rack from moving relative to each other until the lever :is depressed and the signal has been actuated.

I claim: v

1. In a display case, a casing having sides and a top and an entirely openand unobstructed front, and an open rack including side members and spaced horizontal rack plates secured to said side members and having alined openings for the reception'of artillO cles, the upper rack plate being positioned a substantial distance 'below ythe top, the articles being insertable and removable into said openings from the top-oit' the rack, -said `rack vbein'swinoabl ,mounted so as to .be .ada ated manually operable means for swinging said rack. l

2. A display case comprising :astationary casing having sides and a top :and an entirely open and unobstructed `iront, a raclrsw-ingably mounted on the casing .and adapted to be positioned therein `so as `to kbe housed by the sides and top, said top preventing removal of the articles 4from the rack when `the racl; is within the casing while leavingthe articles fully displayed in full view at all times and at all adjustments ofthe rack andcasing, `the back of the `casing being partially open but having a closed portion, the rack swinging' forwardly from the casing when moving out of the casing to ,permit removal of the articles, and manually operable means for swinging the rack out of the casing `and comprising a lever pivotally mounted within the casing and projecting rearwardly through the back thereof, .and a .connection between the lever and the rack.

'3. A display casi-ng comprising a station- Y ary casing having sides and a top and an entirely open and unobstructed front, a rack swingably mounted on the casing .adapted to be positionedftherein so as to be housed by the sides and top, said top preventing removal Y of `the articles from the rack when the rackis within the casing while leaving the articles fully displayed in full view at all times and at all adjustments of the rack yand casing, the back of the casing Vbeing partially open but having a closed portion, the rack swinging forwardly from the casing when moving out of the casing to permit removal of the articles, manually operable means for swinging the rack ont of the casing yand comprising'a llever pivotally mounted within the casing and projecting rearwardly through the back thereof, a connection between the lever and the rack, an angular locking bar pivotally mounted in the casing and engageable with the rack to prevent the rack from beingrswung out of the casing by a pull exerted thereon, and a connection between the locking bar and the lever for automatically disengaging the lock and bar from `the rack when the lever is manipulated to swing the lever outwardly of the casing.

4. A display case comprising a stationary casing having sides and a top and an entirely open and unobstructed front, a rack swingably mounted on the casing and adapted to be positioned therein so as to be housed by the sides and top, said top preventing removal of the articles from the rack when the rack` is within the casing while leaving the articles fully displayed in full view at all times and f operating the same when the lever is depressed. I 1

5. A combined display and dispensing case comprising a casing having an open front, a

rack within means for normally preventing movement of the rack from the front of the..

casing, the casing adapted for retaining articles to be dispensed, the top of the casing y preventing removal of the `articles,and means operable from the rear of the casing whereby the rack may be moved to permit articles to be removed therefrom from the' front of the casing. l v i SVERRE RACHSTANG SVENDSGAARD. 

